We are dedicating a three part series to walking through Impact 360 Institute’s Core Purpose of “cultivating leaders who follow Jesus.” In Part I we looked at why the word “cultivating” was important and strategic for the Institute’s work. In many ways that is our “how.” It’s the verb we use to describe the intentional investment of walking alongside a person and helping to develop all aspects of their life. If that’s the “how” then leaders is our “who.” That is a loaded term that can have many different interpretations and meanings. Let’s unpack what it means in Impact’s core purpose. Here’s what we don’t mean.
It doesn’t mean you have to already be a leader, at least in the traditional sense. Sometimes we talk to students who are interested in coming to our programs but are worried that they don’t see themselves as leaders yet. Sometimes people can misbelieve that because they may not have had a significant leadership position that they don’t have potential influence. We aren’t looking for people with long lists of positional authority roles; we are looking for those who wish to grow their influence across the spectrum of people they interact with on a daily basis.
Sometimes people can misbelieve that because they may not have had a significant leadership position that they don’t have potential influence.
It doesn’t mean you want to go into certain careers. Sometimes people can also mistake what they want to do in life as not necessarily being a leader. Our experiences aren’t particularly designed just for those who are looking to be presidents of companies or leaders of non-profit agencies. As stated above, it’s about influence. As an adult whether you are a bank president, student minister, or at-home mom you have influence. Impact’s unique blend of training in leadership skills and biblical worldview can help you ultimately to be an investor in the people around you.
It doesn’t mean the learning is complete with Impact.
One of our sub-objectives is to facilitate and create curious minds and life-long learners. Impact can be a significant step in a learning leader’s life but it’s certainly not intended to be the final one.
Here’s what we do mean by the term “leader” in our core purpose:
Those with open hearts and a strong sense of humility. As with any type of instruction or coaching it’s hard to work with someone who already believes they have it all figured out. Just because you are a student of leadership doesn’t mean you are not practicing leadership. Many of the finest examples of leadership can be found in those who model a servant heart, willing to admit their faults and desiring to grow through mistakes.
Those who want to understand biblical community. One of the key overlooked aspects of leadership is one who not only knows how to lead but also to live within community. This is how many leaders ultimately lose their influence. If one does not understand the balance between growing one’s influence and the needs of the community around them then it will be hard to grow them as a leader.
One of the key overlooked aspects of leadership is one who not only knows how to lead but also to live within community.
Those who understand there are moral truths. Much of society today is led by examples of just get it done, no matter what corners have to be cut or what good must be comprised. Inevitably this type of leadership will not sustain itself. It’s a house built on the sand and it will crumble. There are basic, unchanging moral principles involved in leadership that we can take from the life of Christ and the precepts of the Bible. A student who appreciates this and understands some things simply cannot be comprised without significant costs is the type of leader Impact wants to invest in.
At Impact 360 Institute we believe that God can and will raise up a generation of young leaders dedicated to His precepts and purposes. We have dedicated the time and resources of our staff and our overall organizational strategy toward playing a role of this in the life of those who want to dedicate their personal and professional life toward Kingdom purposes. If these are things that interest you then please check out our offerings at www.impact360institute.org and join us in this important work!
Next: Understanding Impact 360 Institute’s Core Purpose (Part III: Who Follow Jesus)
Go Deeper:
Catch up by reading Part I “Why Cultivating?”
Dig deeper into this idea of leadership!
Learn more about what a Gap Year at Impact would look like for you!